Solo Artist

Jelly Roll

Active2012-present
OriginNashville, Tennessee, USA
Albums10
Tracks143

Most frequent collaborator: David Ray Stevens  ·  27 tracks

CountryCountry RapHip-Hop
58%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 83 of 143 tracks

Does Jelly Roll write his own songs?

Yes. Jelly Roll is credited on 100% of his catalogue, co-writing nearly every song. He almost always writes with a team rather than alone, a habit he carried from his early independent hip-hop days into country. Songs like 'Save Me,' 'Son of a Sinner,' and 'Need a Favor' are all his co-writes.

By the Numbers

10
Studio Albums
143
Tracks Credited
58%
Self-Written
14
Years Active
125
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 83 / 143 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 143 tracks: how many Jelly Roll wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Jelly Roll has a writing credit58%
1%
57%
42%
Sole author1tracks1%
Co-written82tracks57%
Outside writers60tracks42%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Jelly Roll's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 143 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)58%
Composer (music)58%
Producer6%
Performer42%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Jelly Roll's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 58%
0%
0%
0%
100%
0%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2012The Big Sal Story
2016Sobriety Sucks
2017Addiction Kills
2018Goodnight Nashville
2019Whiskey Sessions II
2020A Beautiful Disaster
2020Self Medicated
2021Ballads of the Broken
2023Whitsitt Chapel
2024Beautifully Broken
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2010s
The Big Sal Story, Sobriety Sucks +3 more
100%
2020s
A Beautiful Disaster, Self Medicated +3 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Jelly Roll sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Jelly Roll
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Elvis Presley1%
Ray Charles14%
Britney Spears32%
Morgan Wallen50%
TLC59%
Bob Dylan76%
Luke Combs90%
58%Jelly Roll
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Son of a Sinner
Ballads of the Broken
Written by Jason DeFord, David Ray Stevens, Ernest Keith Smith
Co-wrote
Dead Man Walking
Ballads of the Broken
Written by Andrew Baylis, Jason DeFord, David Ray Stevens, Michael Whitworth
Co-wrote
Need a Favor
Whitsitt Chapel
Written by Jason DeFord, Austin Nivarel, Joe Ragosta, Rob Ragosta
Co-wrote
Save Me
Whitsitt Chapel
Written by Jason DeFord, David Ray Stevens
Co-wrote
Halfway to Hell
Whitsitt Chapel
Written by Jason DeFord, Jesse Frasure, Matt Jenkins, Jessie Jo Dillon
Co-wrote
I Am Not Okay
Beautifully Broken
Written by Jason DeFord, Taylor Phillips, Ashley Gorley, Casey Brown
Co-wrote
Liar
Beautifully Broken
Written by Jason DeFord, Ben Johnson, Ashley Gorley, Taylor Phillips
Co-wrote
Winning Streak
Beautifully Broken
Written by Jason DeFord, Austin Nivarel, Joe Ragosta, Rob Ragosta
Co-wrote

Discography 10 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Jelly Roll143 tracks
DR27 TT21 ZC21 JF18 SS17 SM14

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. DR David Ray Stevens · TT Thomas Toner · ZC Zach Crowell · JF Jack Fowler · SS Stuart Stapleton · SM Still Matthews

The Writers & Producers Behind Jelly Roll 6 key collaborators

DR
David Ray Stevens
Songwriter
A Beautiful Disaster / Self Medicated / Ballads of the Broken / Whitsitt Chapel27 tracks
TT
Thomas Toner
Producer
Sobriety Sucks / Addiction Kills21 tracks
ZC
Zach Crowell
Producer & Songwriter
Whitsitt Chapel / Beautifully Broken21 tracks
JF
Jack Fowler
Songwriter
A Beautiful Disaster / Self Medicated18 tracks
SS
Stuart Stapleton
Songwriter
A Beautiful Disaster / Self Medicated17 tracks
SM
Still Matthews
Songwriter & Producer
A Beautiful Disaster / Self Medicated14 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Jelly Roll co-writes virtually every song he records, a habit carried from his independent hip-hop roots into mainstream country. Even as his collaborator circle expanded to include high-profile Nashville writers (Jesse Frasure, Hillary Lindsey, Ashley Gorley) and pop producers (Ryan Tedder, The Monsters & Strangerz), he maintained a writing credit on every track. His lyricist and composer scores are nearly identical throughout his career, an unusually consistent pattern for a genre-crossover artist.

Quick Facts

  • Son of a SinnerHis 2022 single became his first number-one country radio hit and mainstream breakthrough
  • CMA New ArtistWon the CMA New Artist of the Year award in 2023
  • GrammysNominated for Best New Artist in 2024 and won three Grammys in 2026
  • Redemption storyA formerly incarcerated artist whose comeback became central to his music and appeal
  • Genre crossoverMoves between country, rock, and hip-hop, drawing from all three worlds

Creative Fingerprint

A co-writer on everything he cuts: Jelly Roll is credited on 100% of his catalogue, carrying a habit of co-writing from his independent hip-hop days into country, almost always with a Nashville team rather than alone.

The Story

Jelly Roll, born Jason Bradley DeFord on December 4, 1984, in Nashville, Tennessee, is a country-rap and country singer-songwriter whose career spans over a decade of independent underground hip-hop releases before a crossover breakthrough in mainstream country. Known for raw, confessional songwriting about addiction, incarceration, redemption, and faith, Jelly Roll built a grassroots following through relentless independent releases and touring throughout the 2010s. His transition toward country and country-rap began to solidify with A Beautiful Disaster (2020) and Self Medicated (2020), which blended hip-hop production with country themes and personal storytelling. The 2021 album Ballads of the Broken introduced him to mainstream country audiences and spawned the crossover single 'Son of a Sinner,' which reached number one on the country airplay chart. His 2023 album Whitsitt Chapel debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and Beautifully Broken (2024) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, cementing him as one of country's biggest mainstream stars and earning him the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album in 2026.

Awards & Recognition

Won the CMA New Artist of the Year award in 2023
Nominated for the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2024
Won three Grammy Awards in 2026, including Best Country Duo/Group Performance for 'Amen' with Shaboozey
'Son of a Sinner' was his first number-one country radio single

Frequently Asked Questions Jelly Roll

Does Jelly Roll write his own songs?
Yes. Jelly Roll is credited on 100% of his catalogue, co-writing nearly every song. He almost always writes with a team rather than alone, a habit he carried from his early independent hip-hop days into country. Songs like 'Save Me,' 'Son of a Sinner,' and 'Need a Favor' are all his co-writes.
Who wrote 'Son of a Sinner'?
'Son of a Sinner,' from Ballads of the Broken (2021), was co-written by Jelly Roll with Ernest and David Ray Stevens. It became his first number-one country radio single and the song that broke him into the mainstream.
What is Jelly Roll's real name and background?
His real name is Jason DeFord. He spent time incarcerated for drug-related felonies as a young man before turning his life around through music, and he received a pardon from the governor of Tennessee in 2025. That redemption story runs through much of his songwriting.
Who wrote 'Need a Favor'?
'Need a Favor,' from Whitsitt Chapel (2023), was co-written by Jelly Roll with his Nashville collaborators. Its mix of rock and country and its themes of faith and struggle made it one of his biggest crossover hits.
Has Jelly Roll won a Grammy?
Yes. After being nominated for Best New Artist in 2024, he won three Grammy Awards in 2026, including Best Country Duo/Group Performance for 'Amen' with [Shaboozey](/artist/shaboozey/). He also won CMA New Artist of the Year in 2023.
How many albums has Jelly Roll released?
This catalogue covers his run of studio albums from his early independent releases through Beautifully Broken (2024), including the breakthrough Ballads of the Broken and Whitsitt Chapel.
What genre is Jelly Roll?
Jelly Roll blends country, country rap, and rock, drawing on his hip-hop roots and Southern rock influences on songs like 'Son of a Sinner' and 'Save Me.'
Why is Jelly Roll's music so personal?
His songs draw directly on his own life, including addiction, incarceration, and recovery. Because he co-writes everything he records, that personal story stays at the center of his music, which is a big part of why fans connect with it.
Who does Jelly Roll collaborate with?
He co-writes with Nashville songwriters like Ernest and David Ray Stevens and has recorded duets with artists including [Lainey Wilson](/artist/lainey-wilson/) and [Shaboozey](/artist/shaboozey/), bridging country, rock, and hip-hop audiences.

Sources

Wikipedia: Jelly Roll